Liverpool Dockers Picket Greenock Docks

Liverpool Dockers Picket Greenock Docks


The 500 Liverpool dockworkers who were sacked in 1995 by the Mersy Dock and
Harbour Company (MDHC) are still resuolutely fighting for full
reinstatement over two years on. Their struggle has been ignored by their
union, the TGWU, who have clearly sided with the government and the MDHC by
trying to persuade the dockers to accept an offer involving low wages and
casualised working conditions.  The dockers have received enormous
international support for their cause, highlighted this September when
dockworkers all over the world marked the second aniversary of the struggle
with day-long stoppages.

At 5 AM on Friday November 21st, 25 of the sacked Liverpool dockers arrived
in Greenock to picket the main gate of Greenock Ocean Teminal. They were
joined by around fifty workers from the Glacier factory in Glasgow and
several members of the Clydeside Dockers' Support Group (a broad-based
group with no single political affiliation which was set up to support the
sacked dockers in their struggle). The workers at Greenock were due to load
containers onto ships run by Costal Containers Limited, a company wholly
owned by MDHC which ships containers up and down the coast of Britain and
to Ireland. Preventing work in the docks for even one shift would be very
damaging for MDHC.

As workers and container-truck drivers arrived at the port, one of the
Liverpool dockers explained why they were there and asked them not to cross
the picket line. Although most did cross the picket line, three
dockworkers, a truck driver and the postie agreed to turn away. We applaud
the solidarity shown by these workers. Several of the workers and drivers
said that they were members of the TGWU, but went into the port because
they knew that their union wouldn't back them up if they refused to cross
the picket line.

Although the MDHC clearly has the support of the government (not
surprising, since they own the largest single share in MDHC!) and of the
TGWU, the Liverpool dockers are not beaten yet. They are continuing to gain
support all over the world. More actions are planned, both directly against
MDHC and CCL and against other companies with a major interest in MDHC
(including Sainsburys and the Royal Bank of Scotland). If you want to get
involved in future actions, if you can organise a collection or sell
t-shirts, or if you want to make a donation to the Liverpool Dockers'
fighting fund, contact the Clydeside Dockers' Support Group, PO Box 399,
Glasgow G1.
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Since this was written the dispute has ended